Farewell 2014.
Today is the day where we as a culture are overwhelmingly optimistic and introspective. We all start to evaluate and make promises to ourselves and others that we can (hopefully) keep. The New Year’s Resolution is one of the trends that I find both hopeful and distasteful. One the one hand, we make commitments to better something in our lives; on the other hand, these often involve our appearances/weight or financial gains. I believe that we should all strive for what we desire in life, however it disheartens me to see how much of what we want is what rarely really benefits us.
Instead of dashing about trying to achieve some of my new goals at once and starting 2015 with scratched out items on a to-do list, I’ve taken the day to pause and just be. My day has involved the following: laying on the couch watching the snow fall and enjoying the feeling — compliments of our wall of windows — that I am in my own snow globe, wrapping myself in the warmth of my great-grandmother’s afghan, a book, a giant latte, a smattering of mini-mimosas, a 2nd book, black-eyed peas and greens, Downton Abbey episodes and some correction of quilting mistakes, er new quilting lessons. After a quiet evening of homemade sushi and a 9 p.m bedtime with no disturbances by revelers, I needed a whole day to start 2015 with peace, comfort and contentment.
Looking forward to this year, I do have things that I wish to achieve that will enrich my life and carry over for years to come.
1. To knit my first sweater, preferably with the green yarn I’ve been carting around for too long. (*See goal number 5.)
2. To get a high-altitude bread recipe down and be the 2nd best baker in our home.
3. To take more baths. Not for hygienic reasons but because baths are simply awesome.
4. To van camp more. I love Bishop the van and need to spend more time camping in the vehicle than driving it to and from the grocery store once a week.
5. To downsize even more. To really pare down to the essentials and to want even less.
It is really pretty simple that I can achieve what I want on my own terms. There are no grandiose plans for me to run a marathon or weigh a certain amount or jump out of a plane. I know that some believe you should aim for the stars, but that isn’t my style: I am more of a live-r than a planner and I appreciate the simpler things in life.
In closing, I sincerely hope that 2015 brings everyone good health, peace and love.
Spinach and Whales 